New Asus RT-N16 Router

[cichy]

If i understand correctly there's no alternative firmware for this router, i mean yet available :> I have a question to owner/user of this new thingy from Asus How does Download Master act now, is it still crappy program like in WL500gP or did they managed to make it better

[wpte]

If i understand correctly there's no alternative firmware for this router, i mean yet available :> I have a question to owner/user of this new thingy from Asus How does Download Master act now, is it still crappy program like in WL500gP or did they managed to make it better

It downloads a lot faster!
it still uses rtorrent for torrents...
the settings are still limited, and I just found a crashing torrent running today, but it's definitely improved

[cichy]

So it's worth changing my WL-500gP v1 to RT-N16. How about its load (use of ram and processor). wpte do you think it could run some lightened linux distro i.e. Debian or Slackware, ofc after modification, or just Asus based modification, similiar to wl500 firmware?

[al37919]

even on wl500gp it was possible to run debian in chrooted environment on top of Oleg firmware. With 128Mb RAM it could be worthwile. However, I think with stock fw it wil require too much efforts.

[Tamadite]

"It is built around a Broadcom BCM4718 Intensi-fi XLR 802.11n Simultaneous Dual-Band (2.4/5 GHz) Router SoC Wireless Network Processor, which includes the processor, BB/MAC and radios. But only the 2.4 GHz radio is enabled, making the RT-N16 a 2.4 GHz single-band router."

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wirel...rspeedn-router

[wpte]

"It is built around a Broadcom BCM4718 Intensi-fi XLR 802.11n Simultaneous Dual-Band (2.4/5 GHz) Router SoC Wireless Network Processor, which includes the processor, BB/MAC and radios. But only the 2.4 GHz radio is enabled, making the RT-N16 a 2.4 GHz single-band router."

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wirel...rspeedn-router

it has only 2.4ghz amplifiers... so to unlock 5ghz we need to make a little board with 5ghz amplifiers and hook it up

[al37919]

in Russia 5HGz is in use by military and consumer devices in this freq. range are prohibited. So, I may guess that RT-N16 is mainly targeted for the Russian market

[Tamadite]

I have been anxiously waiting for getting a RT-N16, specially to improve the server capabilities (WEB, FTP, VPN, NAS, etc) but now I have ordered a SheevaPlug so the new router project will be put aside for a while:

* Marvell Kirkwood 6281 CPU at 1.2 GHz with 256 KB L2 cache
* 512 MB RAM
* 512 MB flash
* Gigabit Ethernet
* 1x USB and 1x SD
* mini-USB with serial console and JTAG
* Consuption: 2.3W Idle with everything unpluged; 3.3W Idle with gigabit ethernet; 5.0W Idle with gigabit+HDD USB+serial; 7.0W +100% cpu
* Look at its size!

Price: 101.99USD + 50.42USD shipping

http://www.globalscaletechnologies.c....aspx#features
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SheevaPlug

[wpte]

in Russia 5HGz is in use by military and consumer devices in this freq. range are prohibited. So, I may guess that RT-N16 is mainly targeted for the Russian market

who cares about the military
btw... a router is a consumer device

wiki: "Consumer electronics include electronic equipment intended for everyday use."

[al37919]

who cares about the military

may be somebody really not care, however, I prefer to stay within legal space. As I wrote in my country 5GHz range is prohibited.

[Lesiuk]

may be somebody really not care, however, I prefer to stay within legal space. As I wrote in my country 5GHz range is prohibited.

Where do you live? Here in poland every wireless isp have 5 ghz in offer. Its even cheaper than 2 ghz.

[al37919]

Where do you live? Here in poland every wireless isp have 5 ghz in offer. Its even cheaper than 2 ghz.

Here is an article from May 2007 which explains the source of the problem, and also I think a reason of so long time needed to accept the 802.11n standard in final form. It seems that in the last several years EU made some efforts to overcome it, while Russia not. It is google-translated, however I think it is possible to get an idea what is it about.

5 GHz, the problem of Russia and Europe

Big problems developing the 802.11n standard associated with the frequency range of 5 GHz. Recall that the standard B and G use the frequency band 2.4 GHz --- license-free band, which uses and other peripherals: cordless phones, radio modules, etc. In this band 13 channels are available, but in densely populated areas are often situations when they are overloaded, the connection is problematic, there is a conflict. Not to mention that the banal microwave degrades signal quality. Among the possible solutions have been chosen to use the frequency band 5 GHz. In the United States it is an open frequency range, which already runs the standard 802.11a.

In Europe and Russia, the situation is more complicated, since this frequency range is reserved for military purposes. These frequencies, among other things, are used by radars, and this is a real problem. As a result, 802.11a products are banned in Russia for use. In Europe it is requested to release this frequency, but the problem did not end there.

Radars are still using this frequency range, so the producers had to integrate the modules for the 5-GHz band protocol DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection). Its principle is simple: before using the band 5 GHz main device (wireless router) to check the presence of radar signals. If the signals are detected, you will have to move to a new frequency. If the signals are not found, will use this frequency, but the router will continuously monitor it. If the interference will be detected, then the transfer will be stopped, the router will have to find a new channel. By European standards, you can use equipment that meets standards DFS 1.2.3, while in March 2008 planned output standard 1.3.1, which will include the results of recent studies. Yes, you guessed it, all products comply with Draft 2.0 Standard 1.2.3.

In some European countries, in particular, in France, in December 2005 issued a decree ordering that all the 5-GHz peripherals standard 1.3.1. Therefore, standard equipment 1.2.3 officially sold there is not. Everything becomes more complicated, given that the transition to standard 1.3.1 requires making physical changes to the modules to match the new protocol monitoring. What do sellers with the periphery draft 2.0? It is necessary to disable the use of 5 GHz, which significantly reduces the advantage of new modules. Another option - reducing the number of channels available in the 5 GHz band, from 11 to 3. But then in densely populated areas increases the chances of conflict.

[Masterman]

Ok, so I got bored about 30 minutes ago. Decided what the hell, I'll try to flash a DD-WRT image on the RT.


Using the Asus FW restoration utility I did the following:

Put device into restore mode

Uploaded clear-nvram.trx - suceeded

Uploaded nvram-restore.trx - suceeded

Uploaded mini-asus.trx - Failure.



So I got to thinking....


Tried the following:

Uploaded clear-nvram.trx - Suceeded

Uploaded the RT's CFE.bin - Suceeded

Uploaded the stock firmware w/ telnet - Suceeded!!


Router is back in operation.


I noticed that when the mini-asus.trx was uploaded and failed, I unplugged the power and plugged it back in only to find that it was Already in restore mode.

The device is also ping-able when in restore mode.

Sooo, apparently Asus has incorporated some kind of failsafe mechanism which prevents the unit from bricking. At least that's my hypothesis.


Tomorrow I will attempt to upload a firmware with gigabit compatibility and see how that goes.

Suggestions?

I was thinking of using the Netgear WNR3500 FW since it shares the same BCM 4718 w/ Gigabit and 2.6 kernel..



Btw, $35 on : http://www.provantage.com/asus-rt-n16~BASU9138.htm

[wpte]

I noticed that when the mini-asus.trx was uploaded and failed, I unplugged the power and plugged it back in only to find that it was Already in restore mode.

The device is also ping-able when in restore mode.

Sooo, apparently Asus has incorporated some kind of failsafe mechanism which prevents the unit from bricking. At least that's my hypothesis.

uhm that's because to get tftp working? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial...nsfer_Protocol
when you restore firmware your computer has to receive an acknowledgement from the router as can be seen in the pictures
thus it needs to be pingable, otherwise you simply cannot restore anything

[grimreaper]

too good to be true, any word on the wireless output?
Would it be any better than my buffalo Whr HP g54?